Reps. Minority Leadership: PDP BoT sets up committee to intervene

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a five-member committee to intervene in the dispute over the emergence of Rep. Ndudi Elumelu as the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the BoT, Mr Walid Jibrin, announced the decision in Abuja on Tuesday after the board’s meeting at the party’s national headquarters.

Jibrin said that the committee, to be chaired by a former President of the Senate, Dr, Iyorchia Ayu, had seven days to submit its report,

“We have decided to wade into the fracas in the House of Representatives as regards the minority leadership.

“To that effect, a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Ayu,

“Other members of the committee include Sen. David Mark, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Sen. Adolphus Wabara and Hon. Austin Opara as Secretary of the Committee.

“They have been given a week to submit their report to the BoT and National Working Committee (NWC) thereafter, a decision would be taken”.

Jibrin said that the BoT as the conscience of the party would always work with the NWC to avoid any form of conflict within the party.

He said the board passed a vote of confidence on the judiciary and expressed the hope that court decisions would deepen democracy in the country.

“We agreed again that our party will play the role of opposition. We are in support of the process going on at the Supreme Court and thirdly we congratulate the judiciary for a job well done.

“We are very encouraged with the judges and if they continue, our democracy in Nigeria will be better.’’

He called on members of the party to remain law abiding and work with the party’s leadership.

“So I call on all our members to be law abiding and to ensure that our party keeps moving and to play the role of opposition.

“We have to be very careful and obey the party because the party is supreme. We congratulate the new leadership of the Senate for coming out with the leaders and the minority leaders.

“I assure you that the issue of House of Representatives will soon be solved by the party. We must ensure that we do not break this party. The party will continue and nobody will make any attempt to do away with our party.’’

The party on Friday suspended Elumelu and six other members of the House of Representatives for one month over their alleged involvement in the crisis.

Other suspended members are Rep. Wole Oke, Rep. Lynda Ikpeazu, Rep. Anayo Edwin, Rep. Gideon Gwadi, Rep. Toby Okechukwu and Rep. Adekoya Abdul-Majid.